Any Other Way
by Kae Ti
Summary: *wrings hands* Whatever can be wrong with Hikari? It's up to Takeru to find out.


Body Digimon isn't mine. I'm too lazy to write a proper disclaimer, and I have Phys Ed homework to hand in tomorrow. I have no time. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

**Any Other Way**

"Takeru!!!" 

The sixteen-year-old blonde known to his friends as TK shot straight up in bed, clutching his bedclothes about him. He looked at his watch. Eight-thirty. He was going to be late for school - again. 

"Kobimachi-san is going to *kill* me!" he wailed, rooting through his chest of drawers for a clean pair of underpants. He found none. Dashing out onto the landing, he rifled through the airing cupboard until he found a pair, and snatched it up. 

"TK, are you - oh my." Takeru's mother Natsuko chuckled, standing at the top of the stairs with a hand hiding her smirk. Takeru flushed bright crimson. 

"MOM!" Strategically placing his underpants, he dashed back into his bedroom and tugged his clothes on. Dashing into the bathroom, he scrubbed his teeth rapidly with a blue toothbrush and flicked a flannel over his face. Grabbing his schoolbag in one hand, he clattered down the stairs, snatched up his toast and gripped it between his teeth whilst he tied his laces. "Love you Mom, bye!" he called, heading for the front door. It slammed shut on any reply that Mrs Takaishi might have been about to make. 

* * * * * 

"Hikari! Wait up!" TK galloped up the street to where Kari stood waiting, an amused smile on her face. 

"Late *again*, Takeru-chan?" TK nodded a wheezing reply as he tried to catch his breath. Gripping Kari's arm, he hurried her on. He didn't want to make his girlfriend late too. 

"Well, you'd better be on time for the dance tomorrow night," she teased. "I shan't appreciate turning up late for the New Year celebrations." 

"Fashionably... late," panted Takeru, steering them round a lamp-post. Kari laughed. 

"Still..." she warned. "I mean it, TK, this is our last New Year dance as High School students, and I don't want to be held up by a little boy who can't tie his shoelaces yet." She sniffed primly as TK checked his shoes. They'd come undone again. 

"We're here," he said, only a little out of breath now. "I'll meet up with you in History, okay?" 

Kari smiled. "See you then," she whispered, leaning over and giving TK a small kiss on the cheek. A few younger kids tittered. TK scowled at them and hurried off to first class, blushing all the way. 

* * * * * 

"Miss Yagami, that's the third time I've caught you not working! You can stay back after school this afternoon to catch up on what you have missed!" 

Kari stared miserably at the floor. "Sorry," she whispered, but Aniko-san had already turned back to the board. Kari scuffed her foot against the floor and tried hard to concentrate. 

TK frowned at the back of Kari's head. It wasn't like her to get into trouble, or get distracted easily. Something must be bothering her. He'd ask her after class. 

Aniko-san was talking again, in her heavy, droning voice. TK kept his head down, writing, but he wasn't really concentrating at all. He took a good look at what he was doing, and realised he wasn't even copying from the correct page. Great. 

"Excuse me... Aniko-san..." 

The teacher threw her chalk down on the floor in a temper. "For goodness sake, Hikari, what is it now?" 

"I don't... feel, very..." whispered Kari. And promptly threw up on the floor. 

"Kari!" TK shot out of his seat and dashed forward to where Kari was sat pale-faced in her chair, swaying slightly. "Oh my God, are you okay?" 

"Takaishi Takeru, nobody gave you permission to move from your chair!" Aniko-san barked. TK turned to face her, eyes blazing. 

"SHUT UP!" he yelled. The class gasped. Aniko-san stepped back a couple of paces in surprise. TK ignored her. "Come on, Kari, let's get you to the nurse's office," he said soothingly, slipping an arm around her to help her up. Hikari rose very shakily to her feet and managed to get as far as the door before fainting in TK's arms. 

* * * * * 

TK jigged up and down in his seat, longing desperately for the final bell to ring so he could go and check up on Hikari. He hadn't written a single sum through worrying about her. 

"And how much have you done, Takaishi?" TK stared dumbly at the Math teacher as he examined TK's book with a frown. "As I suspected, nothing at all. Stay behind, please. You can spend an hour of your own time completing the work that everybody else finished in classtime." 

"But, sir -" 

"No buts. The rest of you are dismissed." 

TK clenched his fists in frustration. Daisuke caught his eye from the other side of the classroom and shrugged sympathetically. Then; "How's Kari?" he mouthed. 

TK shrugged back. The classroom cleared. TK gathered his concentration as best as he was able and started to plough his way through the Math questions. 

A long, slow, tedious hour later saw TK sprinting down the stairs two at a time to get to the sick room. He sprinted down the corridor and burst into the office out of breath once more. The nurse turned to his with a quizzical smile. 

"Are you looking for Hikari?" she asked, putting the last of her things into her bag. TK nodded, his blonde mop of hair boucing up and down. Nurse Shuu smiled again. 

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid her brother came to pick her up about ten minutes ago. If you want, I could -" 

TK was gone, the slap-slap-slap of his unlaced shoes echoing down the hall. 

* * * * * 

"Excuse me, but is Hikari there please?" TK, breathless as usual, hopped from foot to foot outside the Yagami threshold. Hikari's mother smiled fondly at the boy. 

"Her father just took her to the hospital, TK. She should be back in about -" 

"Thank you!" TK called, running down the hallway towards the stairs. Mrs Yagami shook her head at the boy's impatience and retreated back inside. 

* * * * * 

The hospital buzzed with life, doctors with trolleys scurrying back and forth through the corridors. A young blonde boy burst in, and rushed straight to the reception desk. 

"I'm looking... for Yagami Hikari," puffed TK. The clerk punched a few letters into a keyboard with her perfectly manicured nails, and sniffed. 

"She's already been checked out. She left about three or four minutes ago." 

TK sighed exasperatedly, clutching at his hair with his fists. "Well where did she *go*?" he demanded. 

The clerk arched an expertly plucked eyebrow. "One would presume," she sniffed disdainfully, "that the young lady went home." 

TK crashed his head down on the desk. 

* * * * * 

"TK..." The teens hugged as best as they were able whilst Kari was sat in her chair. TK sat on the bed nearby. 

"Are you all right? Kari, what happened?" TK asked anxiously. 

Kari smiled wanly and dismissed the question with a wave of her hand. "You know me. I'm always coming down with viruses." 

"That was years ago!" 

Kari shrugged, and an uncomfortable silence filled the air. TK cleared his throat. 

"So... will you be in school tomorrow?" he asked hopefully. What he really meant was, 'Will you be at the dance tomorrow,' of course. Kari smiled affectionately. 

"Mom says that I can't go to school tomorrow, but if I'm all right all day I can go to the dance in the evening. But I have to take it easy, no fast dances," she warned. TK stretched over and put his arm round her. 

"I'll look after you," he promised softly. Kari wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head in his chest. They stayed like that for the rest of the evening. 

* * * * * 

"Sorry," said Kari's head ruefully, poking round the Yagami front door. TK's face fell. 

"You mean you can't come after all? Oh, Kari, were you sick again?" he asked worriedly. Kari shook her head. 

"No, it's not that, it's just that... Daisuke asked me to go to the New Year dance with him this afternoon, and I... said yes," she whispered. "I'm going to the dance with Davis." 

TK's jaw dropped. "But... wha... you're supposed to be *my* girlfriend!" he cried out. Kari couldn't supress a grin any longer, and burst into giggles. 

"I'm sorry, TK," she giggled. "I couldn't resist... Of course I'm coming to the dance with you!" TK's face cleared. 

"Scamp!" he hissed, pulling her out from behind the door. "Come on, let's take a look at you. Oh, Hikari..." 

A pale pink sleeveless dress reached down to just above Kari's knees, and an even paler pink train hung down one side from the waist to brush against the floor. Long creme gloves swept up her arms to her elbows, and a shoulder-scarf of the same color protected her from the biting January cold. It might have been a week later than true New Year, but the air was colder than ever. Creme shoes adorned Kari's feet, and the whole effect was perfectly finished off by a pink glass tiara resting upon Kari's soft brown hair. TK melted. 

"You're beautiful," he whispered, mouth open in awe. Kari blushed, but it didn't dispel the faint trace of worry crossing her brow. TK kissed it away and took her arm. 

"Ready, modom?" he enquired politely in what was intended to be an English accent, but somehow came out Mexican. Kari chuckled. 

"Ready as I'll ever be. Bye, Mom!" 

"Have a nice time, dear!" Mrs Yagami's voice floated through from the kitchen. Kari smiled and shut the door behind her, tripping on her heels. TK caught her just as she was about to tumble down the stairs. 

"Sorry," Kari apologised. "Don't wear these shoes much." 

"Well, I guess you're just going to have to let me help you, aren't you?" 

Arm in arm, giggling, the two lovebirds slowly and carefully descended the stairs. 

* * * * * 

"TK! Hey, TK!" 

Takeru smiled and waved at Daisuke from the other side of the crowded hall. The former DigiDestined leader had Miyako hanging from his arm, and the spoilt girl looked none too pleased about it. She hadn't planned on attending, but Daisuke hadn't been able to find anybody else and she'd owed him a few favors. So here she was, scowling her way through the evening. TK and Kari exchanged amused glances. 

The emcee put on a slow song, and Kari led her date out onto the dance floor. "I... can't dance all that well," TK mumbled emabarrassedly. Kari shrugged. 

"Nor can I," she admitted. "Just put your arms round me and move in time to the music, okay?" TK nodded, and by the time the dance was drawing to a close he was feeling quite confident about his dancing skills. Kari leaned over his shoulder and whispered into TK's ear. 

"Your laces are undone again, Takaishi." 

"Don't care," TK murmured, enjoying the feel of Kari's lips brushing against his ear. Kari ran her hands up and down Takeru's sides, and his skin trembled beneath his shirt. "You're turning me on deliberately, aren't you?" he hissed. 

Kari kissed TK's neck slowly. "Maybe." TK all but collapsed on the floor. 

"S-Song's finished," he stammered. "Let's go get some punch." Kari smiled demurely and followed him to the drinks table. 

"You're no fun," she pouted. TK pinched her butt when nobody was looking, and she yelped and flushed. "TK!" 

Takeru shrugged. "I can be fun when I want to be," he said with a wicked gleam in his eye. "In fact..." He put his arms around his girlfriend and leaned down to kiss her. Kari leaned up to receive the kiss, but just as their lips were about to touch, Kari pulled back and tore herself away from TK's embrace. 

"I need the bathroom," she muttered, and walked briskly off in the direction of the girls' room. TK started after her, but then gave up, staring after her with a puzzled frown. 

"Hey, Daisuke, where's Miyako?" he asked the boy passing by. Daisuke shrugged. 

"Gone off with a bunch of other girls," he replied glumly. TK laughed, and Davis scowled. "Where's Kari, anyway?" 

"Oh, she had to go to the bathroom. Say, did you...?" 

The two boys started up a long and interesting conversation about soccer, hairgel and many other things. Gradually other guys joined the group, until TK and Davis were surrounded by a gang of chatting friends. Looking round to see what had become of Kari, TK spotted her chatting with some of her girlfriends. He made to go over to her, but she caught his eye and shook her head. TK concluded that they must be talking about girl stuff and rejoined the conversation around him. 

Half an hour later, the crowd of boys began to disperse as everybody got back into their couples. TK looked around for Kari, but couldn't see her anywhere. Strange... "Miyako!" he called. 

"Yeah?" 

"Where's Kari?" 

Miyako shrugged. "I think she went upstairs," she told him disinterestedly, before heading over to the snacks. TK was baffled. Upstairs...? 

Ducking under the tape, TK hurried up the steps to the first floor and looked around. Ah, there she was. Outlined in the window at the other and of the hall, looking out on the darkness. TK was about to approach her when he saw her shoulders hitch once, twice, and a supressed sob echoed down the hall. TK took a few steps forward. 

"...Kari?" he called softly. She didn't move. "Kari, are you crying? What's happened?" 

"TK..." There was a long pause. "I'm sorry..." 

TK hurried down the hall towards her and sat on the window seat beside the crying girl, wrapping his arms around her. She leaned against him, tears streaming over her cheekbones. "I'm sorry, TK," she repeated. TK shook his head and held her tight. 

"Kari, please tell me what's happening," he pleaded. "Is this because you were ill yesterday?" 

More sobs. TK was baffled. "Kari..." 

"I'm not ill!" she burst out. "I'm not!" 

"Kari, please, I don't understand -" 

"Oh TK, we made such a huge mistake..." Kari whispered, turning towards him. Her eyes were full of fear and sorrow, and TK couldn't bear to see her looking like that. He stroked her hair and kissed her forehead, trying to calm her down. She rested her head against TK's chest and gazed blankly out of the window. "Promise me you won't leave me, TK" 

"What? Of course not," said TK, surprised. "Why would I?" Kari said nothing. The blonde boy couldn't understand why she was so upset, but even more he couldn't understand how Kari could ever think he might leave her. 

"Kari, I love you," TK said steadily, just as his girlfriend blurted out, "I'm pregnant." 

Silence reigned, save for Kari's breath occasionally catching in her chest. 

"Pregnant?" TK finally whispered. "You're going to have a baby?" 

"No," she said steadily. "*We're* going to have a baby." She looked up at him. "I never slept with anyone but you, TK..." Her voice cracked and she starting sobbing all over again. "Why? Why did we do it?" 

TK held Hikari tight in his arms. "It... felt right at the time," he told her. "Young hormones and all that... I should've waited, at least til we could've gotten hold of some protection or something. But now... *Pregnant*? Are you sure? We only did it the once, we promised eachother we wouldn't do it again, not until we were older..." 

"I guess once is all it takes," Kari sighed. TK blinked. 

"I'm going to be a Daddy," he said in a voice full of wonder. Kari smiled tiredly. 

"It's gonna be a lot of hard work. You'll... have to get a job or something." 

"Of course." TK nodded. "How many months?" 

"Only two so far," she murmured. "So that's another seven." TK began counting on hs fingers. 

"I can finish my exams - we both can," he said slowly. "And after that..." He sighed and stroked Kari's cheek. "We'll find a way, somehow. I promise you." 

"So... you still love me?" Kari asked in a trembling voice. TK caught her shoulders and pulled her back to look at him, shocked. 

"Of *course* I still love you!" he cried. "How could I not? Kari..." TK fumbled with the right words as Kari gazed up at him in delight. "...marry me," he finished, blushing. Now it was Kari's turn to be shocked. "Look," he began in a rush, "I know I don't have a ring or anytthing yet but I love you and I want to make a commitment to you and our child so I can prove to you that -" 

Hikari hushed him with a kiss. 

* * * * * 

"...you may kiss the bride." 

Takeru and Hikari's lips sealed amid cheers and whistles, both looking stunning in their wedding clothes. A toddler bridesmaid wearing a pink and creme dress very similar to the one which Kari had worn on her final High School dance covered her eyes with her hands and turned away, hiding her face in Sora's skirt. Mimi heaved little Takaishi Shiiko up onto her hip and and gazed at the wedding couple, tears in her eyes. Takeru and Hikari were so obviously destined for eachother. 

On the other side of the aisle, Yamato was trying to pretend that he wasn't crying and Taichi was hugging him and passing him tissues. Jyou and Koushiro, those staunch old friends, were stood side by side applauding loudly. And eveywhere the couple looked, confetti rained. 

As they began making their way outside, Mimi handed Shiiko to Kari, who brushed the child's gold hair out of her face and kissed her cheek. TK gazed fondly at his wife and daughter, and thought for the millionth time how lucky he was. 

Nobody would have had it any other way. 

~~~~~~~~~~~ 

It's rushed, I know. I found out about the competition about two days before the deadline, okay!? My first Takari. Flames about underage sex will be eaten. I come from the UK where the age of consent is 16. So nyah. ~_^ -Kae Ti xx 


End file.
